7.04 will not install on an older Vaio laptop

Bug #114682 reported by Suchawato
12
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Suse
Invalid
Undecided
Unassigned
linux (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Undecided
Unassigned
linux-source-2.6.20 (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Its a PCG-954A
Pentium 3 processor. 695.6 MHz
254 megs of ram
chipset: intel i815
It won't run the live cd or the text/alternate beyond the initial startup menu .

the cd menu comes up, and when either the live or text install cd is used,
when "install" is selected, it says "loading linux kernel" with the little loader bar, and then it presents a black screen with a little horizontal blinking cursor or "dash" and that's the end of it.

it never gets any farther than that no matter how long I wait.
I am using the correct x86 install version.
I have installed xp Service pack 2 and which works fine if that helps.
the same exact problem comes up with Zenwalk. Exactly the same way.

this may be a clue if this helps:
when I selected "install a command-line only" option on the alternate cd's startup menu,
it loaded to the step of "SETTING UP STANDARD PCI RESOURCES" where it froze.
this specific step is where the openSUSE 10.2 install freezes

It was issued with windows ME

Revision history for this message
Brian Murray (brian-murray) wrote :

Thanks for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. I believe if you press F6 when booting the CD it will provide you with some options to append to the kernel when booting the CD. One of these should be "acpi=off". Could you please try booting with that option and report back? Thanks in advance.

Revision history for this message
Suchawato (anavi) wrote : Re: [Bug 114682] Re: 7.04 will not install on an older Vaio laptop

Ok.
Progress!
It installed!
Yay! But not clean.
So first things first.
The [F6] command line came up with ":casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz
quiet splash --"
I edited it to include "noapi=off". The final text looked like this: ":casper
initrd=/casper/initrd.gz quiet splash -- noapi=off"

So the kernel ran a few lines of text and then the screen went blank.
Actually, to be accurate, it started flashing periodicly.
this went on for about five to seven minutes or more, when suddenly the
last lines of text appeared following a brief cursor.
Then , low and behold, the human background came into view, and it
loaded the 'live run'.
So I ra the install from the icon, which was clean, except an odd lack of
color in the "progress bar" during the install.
The 'progress loading' was the same color as the background, so as to
make it almost invisible. you could actually see it after it started
overlaping/eraseing the "%" numbers.
You could still read it actually at a certain angle, but just barely.
So that finished up and it ejected the CD and tried to restart. It
couldn't however, I cought a "flag" message during the inital kernal
load saying the "reboot disabled by hardware".
So I figured that was fine and manually 'off/on' restarted.
SAME seven minute boot, except this time no text beyond the first.
Finally I "heard" the drum beat of the login window, to know it had
indeed booted. But no monitor/screen. Just black.
SO, I took a hint from my previous attempts to install and when I
rebooted, Pressed 'Esc' to go into the grub menu.
OK the kernel line looked like this "an inital long string of letter
numbers followed by ro quiet splash acpi=off"

Now here's the funny part. I tried adding some of the commands to the
kernel line in order to get it to boot.
But it didn't matter: Here's the punchline: if I used the 'shutdown' or
'restart' commands, to try to shut it down, about every other time or so
it would not power the screen(leaving it black).
If I just pull the plug out, it seems to be a workaround.
So.
Shutdown doesnt work and causes problems.
Restart doesn''t work and causes problems.
And the initial "splash loading screen" doesn't show up at all.
AND it takes about four minutes (I timed it) to boot up.
So this is the status now.
I'm glad it installed though, and discovering the workarround was great!
So its useable now.
If you know the tricks and are patient.

By the way friend, you're also family.
I'm Stu Murray.
I have some family in Texas and Colorado.
I don't know how far back we are related, but I guess we are.
An interesting side note.
See what you can do with this.
I'm interested to hear what you make of it.
-Stu

Revision history for this message
Suchawato (anavi) wrote :

Brian,
That "workaround" turned out to be a false alarm.
It *randomly* does not turn on the screen about every-other time it
boots.
Also, when it does boot with the screen functioning, when logged in, it
does not power the pci card slot, so won't activate/detect a wireless
modem card.(the lights don't turn on on the card and no activity occurs
{whirring noises, busy cursor,etc)
It does detect USB.
So, back at it eh?
At least it installed.

Revision history for this message
Suchawato (anavi) wrote :

oops, typo on that first reply.
I was tired.
when I said "noapi=off", I meant "acpi=off"
I did it like you suggested.
This is in the kernel line in grub, so I know it worked.(as well as installing the OS in the first place.)

Revision history for this message
Brian Murray (brian-murray) wrote :

The output of the command 'lspci -vvn' as an attachment to your bug report would be helpful in diagnosing this issue. Thanks again!

Revision history for this message
Suchawato (anavi) wrote :

Brian,
I am including a text file with the output of the command.
Let me know if there are any problems.
-Stu

Revision history for this message
GVaio (gkuhnke) wrote :

I had a similar problem on an older (2001 purchase) Sony Vaio PCG-SRX77 (intel810, P3, 800MHz, 256MB RAM). Eventually I got 7.10 running ... using the LOOOONG route. See "http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3882522".

Revision history for this message
GVaio (gkuhnke) wrote :

Correction: That should be intel815 for the chipset.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote : This bug is now reported against the 'linux' package

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this bug to the new "linux" package. However, development has already began for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. It would be helpful if you could test the upcoming release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . If the issue still exists, please update this report by changing the Status of the "linux" task from "Incomplete" to "New". We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Thanks!

Revision history for this message
Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara) wrote :

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

Revision history for this message
Jouni Mettala (jouni-mettala) wrote :

Feisty is no longer supported and I am closing this bug. If this is still problem for you with new Ubuntu releases please open a new bug.

Changed in linux:
status: Incomplete → Invalid
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote : Kernel team bugs

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.

Changed in suse:
status: New → Invalid
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